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10th Anniversary of Ramsbottom Chocolate Festival – Episode 105

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With just a week until the annual Ramsbottom Chocolate Festival, I thought as its the tenth year of the festival, I’d go back over the history of the event, as well as giving you some information on what you can expect from it this year.

Paul Morris of The Chocolate Café Ramsbottom
Paul Morris, Chief Chocolate Taster from The Chocolate Café Ramsbottom

The very first Chocolate Festival was on Sunday April 5th 2009, the number one single in the UK charts at the time was Lady Gaga, giving away no hints with her Poker Face, if you can cast your mind back that far (here’s a link to the original programme). The brainchild of Paul Morris who having recently opened The Chocolate Cafe wanted to promote the café and the town.

 

2009 Ferrero Rocher Eating World Record Attempt

The festival first started life as a handful of stalls featuring traders such as Slattery’s, Meantime Chocolate Beer and Ramsbottoms regular Park Farm. There were also activities such a Giant Easter Egg Competition, World Record attempt at Most Ferrero Rocher Eaten in 1 Minute and even Chocolat being screened by Real2Reel Cinema.

From these beginnings the festival has grown year on year, Paul Morris has now sold the chocolate café and neither he nor the cafe have any involvement in organising the festival.

I spoke to Terri Fletcher of Ramsbottom Markets to get the lowdown. Terri and her husband began helping with the festival as volunteers back in 2010 having opened a shop of Bridge Street (Purple Tiger).

In 2016 the festival received a record number of visitors so in 2017 the footprint of the festival was extended to use more of the town centre.

This was in part to encourage people to wander around the Town enjoying all of the independent shops and bars along their way. It was also to make the chocolate festival easier to move around.

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KG Hypnobirthing Teacher and Doula, Kati Edwards – Episode 104

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It’s Mother’s Day, and on this episode of This is Rammy, I bring someone who has had many close connections with expectant mothers.

I was introduced to Kati by a local resident who basically said she’d be great to have on the show. Little did I know exactly how much that Kati actually did, from drumming to spoken word poetry to being a doula and hypnobirthing teacher.

At first, I’ll be honest, I was not entirely sure how I could do Kati justice, let’s face it, I’m a man and often a males perception of birth is completely different.

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Fire, Ice and cancelled events – Episode 103

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It’s been bitterly cold this week with the UK taking on the force of the “Beast from the East” providing consistent snow fall causing traffic problems as well as several events to be cancelled including, The Summerseat Players had to cancel their MacBeth Reading and Irwell Works Brewery have had to cancel their Folk and Americana night.

One person who’ll be hoping the weather here in Ramsbottom is as cold as it gets for her is Fiona Botham of popular Ramsbottom restaurants Baratxuri and Levanter as reported recently in The Bury Times.

Fiona and the team of 21 other people from the restaurant business will be trekking Nepal in aid of Action Against Hunger for their Nepal Trek 2018 from April 24th to May the 4th 2018. They hope to raise £110,000 and each team member will be aiming to raise at least £5000 to go towards this total.

Action Against Hunger is a world charity working to carry out innovative, lifesaving programmes in nutrition, food security, water, sanitation and hygiene.

Fiona states on her bio for the trek the she “feeds lovely people all week in our restaurants in Ramsbottom & at home tell our 4 young children all the time, “eat up”,”don’t waste food”, & remind them how lucky they are compared to other children & families around the world”. Fiona goes on to say that she is putting her very scared feet where her mouth is to help raise awareness & funds to help this amazing charity.

As of the 28th of February when I’m recording this, Fiona currently has £421 in her pot, if you’d like to donate you can do so at the link below.

Donate to Fiona Botham’s page for Action Against Hunger Nepal Trek 2018.

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7 must do activities for arctic conditions in Ramsbottom

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Arrggghhh!! Is probably what you’re thinking if you’re to believe the reports that we’re in for “arctic conditions” again across Britain.

Well, they say if life gives you lemons, make lemonade, so if the MET Office gives you snow…make…..snowmen-ade? Then that brings images of yellow snow, so probably don’t.

Here are a few fun things to do in the impending end of the world, I mean, bit of snow.

Labour shadow minister visits Greenmount’s D-CaFF and Bury Hospice | Bury Times

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TWO charities in Bury received a visit from the shadow minister for mental health and social care.

Source: Labour shadow minister visits Greenmount’s D-CaFF and Bury Hospice | Bury Times

 

James Frith has been continuing to show up in various press recently, not only standing by Ramsbottom to get better transport via the Rosso Bus diversions but also helping various charities including this spot in Bury Times for D-CaFF and Bury Hospice.

Great to see our local MP using his image for good.

How do you think James has done since taking office?